This invention relates to electrical switch devices for selectively controlling the continuity of electrical circuits and more particularly to electromechanical relays for performing this function.
Over the years, electromechanical relays have found wide and varied application in the telephone and related arts and have assumed many structural forms. Basically, a relay of the character contemplated herein comprises an electromagnet, an armature, and a contact spring assembly, the armature being actuated to control the closing and/or opening of the contacts when the electromagnet is energized. Although in recent years solid state devices have replaced such relays in many communication systems, relays still offer many advantages in terms of cost, reliability, and versatility, for example, in circuit applications where the highest operative speed is not a requirement. Where the relays are operated in conjunction with electronic devices, the reduction in physical size of the latter components has also dictated a miniaturization of the relays and a number of miniature relay structure forms are also known in the art. When relays are to be used with printed circuit boards, for example, high packing density requires that the relay present a minimum profile and mounting area.
An important factor in the manufacture of any relay of whatever form an size, of course, is cost, especially when large numbers of the relays are to be produced. Any significant savings which may be realized in the assembly, inspection, and testing of a relay during its fabrication could thus be substantial in the aggregate. The inspection and testing phase of relay fabrication in particular has in the past added to the cost of manufacture in that a discovered defect frequently necessitated discarding an entire unit. Thus, if after final assembly, either the contact spring subassembly or the electromagnetic actuator subassembly proved defective, the entire relay might be rejected. Accordingly, in this particular area alone, costs could be halved, if the subassemblies were independently testable.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to make possible the independent testing of electromechanical relay subassemblies.
It is another object of this invention to minimize the profile and mounting area of an electromechanical relay without reducing its operating efficiency.
It is also an object of this invention to provide a new and improved electromechanical relay construction which is more readily assembled and disassembled than prior relay structures.